


Drift

by Lookey



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Everyone Is Poly Because Avengers, F/M, M/M, Multi, Omega Verse, Slow Build, just a little though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2013-04-13
Packaged: 2017-11-21 12:52:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/597972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lookey/pseuds/Lookey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Set immediately post-movie)<br/>Tony Stark - genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist – had his life after the Chitauri invasion figured out. Rebuild the Stark Industries Tower into the Avengers Tower, invite the team to move in, hunt down rouge Stark weapons, and woo his lovely CEO, etc. Maybe save the world again a time or two. It was all laid out in his the master plan. Until, nothing happens the way its supposed to.</p>
<p>This is an Omega Verse fic, because I love them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, real quick. This is my first ever fic. Like ever. And I'd really appreciate feedback of any sort. I know the characters aren't quite "right", but I'm struggling a little bit to get their voices. Also, if anyone wants to beta read the rest of this story, I would give you the internet. :) Thanks!

“Tony? Uh…” Bruce hesitated, gripping the door handle of the sleek sports car as his billionaire companion, Tony Stark, slung it around another corner.

“What can I do for ya, big man?” Tony smirked, not taking his eyes off the road – a small comfort to his fellow scientist. 

“I’m not usually a back seat driver, but could you do me – and the citizens of New York City – a favor? Please try and keep it close to twenty over the speed limit? I don’t think the Other Guy would fit in here… Even if you did put the roof down.”

Tony barked a laugh, but did as the biologist asked and slowed the new Ferrari down to legal speeds. Bruce tentatively released his death grip on the door handle and straightened up in his seat. His thanks came out on a relieved sigh, causing Tony to smirk slightly. 

“Don’t mention it,” Tony shrugged, stopping at a red light, “Now, I was thinking… pretty much the only damage on the tower where on private floors four, five, and on the roof. Don’t look so guilty! You kicked a god’s ass! That’s something to put on the resume and be proud of! Anyway, so those three floors. And I totally blame Natasha for the roof damage; or I would if she wasn’t quite so terrifying. Do you know how many different ways she could kill someone with a paper clip? It’s ridiculous! But, back to the Tower! This is good and bad news. Good: all the labs and tech are fine! And my bedroom! Bad: there’s only one finished guest room on the floor below my rooms, so we’ll just have to wait to invite the rest of the team to this slumber party until I redo the offices that got smashed into guest rooms.”

Tony was forced to pause to resume driving as the light changed and Bruce jumped at the chance to ask a couple of questions,

“’Slumber party’? What are you planning, Tony?”

“Well, I currently have some plans for some new arrows for Clint, some ultra-super-stretchy-no break pants for the Other Guy, and the specs for a new suit on the table… Oh, right sorry. Tower plans, that’s what you meant?” Tony grinned, causing Bruce to shake his head in amusement, “Well, you know… We’re a team. You, me, Clint, Natasha, Steve, Thor. Saving the world together kinda makes it an official thing. So I figured if I’m going to have to redo the Tower anyway – no guilt Bruce, this is a guilt free zone – then I might as well make it into ‘the Avenger’s Tower’. I mean, I can’t really invite just you to come live in the coolest skyscraper in New York and not the others. I think feeling jealousy might break Cap’s morale compass or something like that. But I mean, it makes sense? Doesn’t it? Have us all under one roof so that we’re all right there if a call comes in? No sending a jet off to whatever third world country you’ve holed yourself up in; or trying to figure out a way to reach Thor on Asgaird. I can just see the cost of that phone call. Or am I crazy and this is actually a horrible idea?”

Bruce paused and thought about what Tony tried to say in all his rambling, “I mean it is your tower, so I don’t see why you couldn’t rename it for the team. And I don’t see why you can’t invite the others to move into the tower? Whether or not they accept I don’t know, but it would be a good idea to have us all in a central location.”

Tony was positively beaming at the end of Bruce’s answer and very nearly missed the turn into the Towers underground garage. After whipping the car into the driveway, Tony pulled out his own access card and swiped it through the scanner. A section of unassuming concrete wall shifted to the side smoothly and Tony drove down another level to his private garage-workshop. 

“Welcome home big guy!” Tony smiled, climbing out of the now parked car, “This is the – Oh hey Pep! Guess who’s going to be living in the Tower!”

“Hello Tony. Doctor Banner, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Pepper Potts, Tony’s CEO” Pepper smiled, stepping forward to shake Bruce’s hand, “If you wouldn’t mind, could I borrow Tony for a few moments? I need to go over some stuff for the Tower rebuild with him.”

“Sure, I’ll just wait here and try not to break anything too important,” Bruce joked.

Both Pepper and Tony laughed, but Bruce could tell only Tony’s was genuine. Pepper’s laugh was strained and harried. It matched the well concealed circles under her eyes that Bruce only saw now that he was closer to the woman. Bruce watched the pair walk into a side office with unease, but sat on a nearby stool to wait all the same. For whatever odd reason – maybe the Other Guy’s interest with the “metal man” (as he liked to call Tony, despite adamant protests from the billionaire) – Bruce felt an odd compulsion to protect the other Alpha from the redheaded female Alpha.

“Like that’s going to happen, Banner” he muttered to himself with a demeaning laugh.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, real life got in the way. This chapter is a bit longer. I would have made it even longer, but my OCD started bugging me and I started over-editing what I had. So here we go. Does anyone by chance know what JARVIS (the AI from the movie-verse) calls Tony when he's speaking to other people? Its driving me crazy!
> 
> Also I would love more feedback :)

It was like watching a car accident – fascinating and horrible—and Bruce found himself unable to look away. The side office Pepper and Tony had gone into had large glass panels in place of walls and hid nothing from the scientist sitting directly across the lab from it. Whatever the pair of Alphas were discussing, it was extremely unpleasant. Pepper’s arms were crossed firmly across the front of her designer suit jacket and Tony was scowling fiercely at a point over the woman’s shoulder. So far, Pepper had been the only one to speak in the – Bruce checked his watch – five minutes since the door had closed; Tony had yet to say a word and did not appear as though he would any time in the near future.

Suddenly, Pepper’s demeanor changed. She very carefully uncrossed her arms and straightened her jacket; her head tilted up slightly and her shoulders drew back. It was the direct challenge of an Alpha and even though it was not directed at him, Bruce felt his anger -- and consequentially his heart rate – rise. Tony had watched quietly as Pepper had readjusted herself, but made no move to respond to her challenge. After a few moments of tense silence, Pepper began speaking again. She spoke for several minutes and then gathered her files and strode out of the office and out of the workshop up a set of stairs.  
Bruce waited on his stool, trying to calm his thundering heart rate and watching Tony through the glass. They may have sat that way for several minutes or hours, Bruce had no idea how much time had passed. Bruce sat there watching Tony stare at the plain white wall of the office. Bruce was so focused on the billionaire he missed the small robot wheel itself into the small office and towards Tony. It was not until it placed its little robotic fingers on Tony’s knee and made a soft cooing noise that broke both scientists from their thoughts. Bruce carefully lowered himself off the stool and made his way across the workshop to where Tony was still seated in the office. Tony was slowly running his hand along the robot’s arm, but his gaze was looking at something a million miles away. Bruce slowly leaned on the doorframe to the office and watched Tony for a few seconds before clearing his throat. Tony blinked slowly and turned shadowed eyes to look at the biologist in the doorway.  


“I know I’m being a horrible host, big guy. But I think I’m going to need a bit,” Tony sighed, shaking his head forlornly, “JARVIS will help you find your way to your room. Uhm, JARVIS is my AI. He runs the Towers electrical aspects, manages security, and all my projects, files, etcetera.”  


Bruce nodded, 

“I’ll just go on up and get settled. I’ll see you for dinner, yeah?”  


Tony nodded wearily. He turned back to the wall and resumed staring. The stroking did not stop though, so Bruce let him be.  


“Dr. Banner, if you would like to take the stairs on the right side of the workshop to the elevator bay I will direct you to the floor your room is on,” a light British voice floated down from the ceiling.  


Bruce watched Tony for a moment longer before striding quickly across the workshop to pull the small duffel from the floor board of the Ferrari. Sighing as he closed the passenger door, Bruce steeled himself then walked up the stairs as instructed.  


...

“Your room is immediately on your right Dr. Banner,” JARVIS instructed as Bruce exited the elevator.  


“Thank you JARVIS,” Bruce paused just outside the door, “I don’t suppose if you could tell me if there’s any surprises that the Other Guy might not like on the other side of this door?”  


“Master Tony has not had any spare time to prepare any surprises for you Dr. Banner. His sole focus has been on his plans for repairing the Tower.”  


After a steeling breath, Bruce pushed the large door open and stepped inside. He was confronted with a warm sitting room area with a desk and book shelves.  


“Uh, JARVIS?”  


“Dr. Banner, what may I help you with?”  


“I thought you said this was where my room is?”  


“Your bedroom is the door on your far left, sir. The door on the right of the desk leads to your bathroom, which also connects to your bedroom.”  


“Oh. Tony said guest room, not guest suite,” Bruce sighed.  


After no response from JARVIS, Bruce passed the brown leather loveseat and chairs to his bedroom. The room is painted the same warm beige of the sitting room-office with a large Californian King bed covered in a rusty red duvet and brown and tan pillows. Bruce places his worn duffel carefully on the foot of the bed and grabs a button down to hang in the large floor to ceiling built-ins along the left wall. Bruce can only laugh when he opens the doors to find a whole wardrobe in his sizing already occupying the cabinets. Bruce manages to find enough empty hangers to hang his spare shirts and pants and then goes back to admire the clothes Tony has purchased for him.  


“Dr. Banner?” JARVIS’ voice broke Bruce from his embarrassing stroking of a finely tailored suit.  


“Yes, JARVIS?”  


“Master Tony wished me to inform you that your personal laboratory is now unlocked for you. He also wishes you to know, if you so choose, you may set any series of access codes to limit entry to your workspace. The same applies to you living area.”  


“Oh. Did Tony say if he would be ready for dinner anytime soon? I’m beginning to get rather hungry.”  


After a short pause, JARVIS responded, 

“Master Tony says that ‘you may help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen’ and that he will not be able to join you for dinner as ‘a new idea to redesign the Tower has struck him.’”  


It might have been Bruce’s imagination, but JARVIS’ tone seemed to be worried as he relayed the message.  


“Would you be so kind as to direct me to the kitchen then, JARVIS?” Bruce sighed.  


“Of course, Dr. Banner.”  


...

Bruce had been in the kitchen less than five minutes before he had decided that the remaining contents of the refrigerator and cabinets could not be made into anything resembling a meal.  


“Dr. Banner, if you a planning to order take-out, I have a data base of menus that Master Tony has compiled and highly recommends,” JARVIS provided before Bruce could begin looking through drawers for menus, “The screen is behind you, doctor.”  


Bruce turned to find a glowing screen on the formerly blank wall between the refrigerator and the double oven’s hood and could only shrug, because of course Tony Stark would have the best technology known to mankind as standard in his home… tower… place of residence.  


It took Bruce only a few minutes to find a decent looking Thai menu that would deliver to the Tower area.  


“Uh, JARVIS? Is there a phone around here somewhere I can order with?” Bruce asked.  


“If you would like to tell me your selections, I will place the order for you, Dr. Banner”  


“Oh, of course. Uh, I’ll have edamame and the red curry. And order one of each of Tony’s favorites too. I’ll take it down to him in the workshop.”  


“I am placing the order now Dr. Banner, it should be delivered in twenty minutes,” JARVIS answered, “Dr. Banner, may I ask you something?”  


“Go right ahead”  


“Master Tony may not wish to be disturbed at this time in light of recent events. If he wishes to be left alone, would you follow his wishes?”  


Bruce was surprised to say the least at the AI’s question, but what truly struck him was the protective undertone to the already heavy question.  


“I’ve spent a bit of time on my own – mostly by my own choice – so I think I’ll know if Tony needs me to leave or not. I’d still stay to make sure he ate though.” Bruce responded carefully.  


“Thank you doctor,” JARVIS responded, his electronically generated British accent seeming warmer.  


...

When Bruce made it down the stairs to the lab carrying the bags of Thai, his heart sunk at the sight before him. The door to the workshop JARVIS had informed him Tony was in was firmly closed and locked. Sighing, Bruce set down one bag of take-out and began knocking on the steel door,  


“Tony! I brought food. I had JARVIS order your favorite Thai from a place up on sixtieth.”  


Bruce waited expectantly for the door to open, even picked up the bag he had set down. JARVIS next announcement proved his expectations to be too optimistic.  


“Master Tony usually listens to music while working, Dr. Banner. And as usual, his music is too loud for him to hear you knocking. I have, however, taken the liberty of lowering the music so that perhaps he might hear you now.”  


Bruce could not shake the feeling that JARVIS had sounded particularly pleased with himself and was at least a little smug.  


“Okay… Uh, Tony? I brought food. And JARVIS ordered food for you too, so it’s way too much for me and you better come eat some of this,” Bruce yelled at the closed door again, trying to keep his tone light and joking.  


“I’m fine, Bruce. Had some stuff down here that I’m eating while I work,” Tony replied after a lengthy pause.  


“Sir, coffee and liquor does not count as an evening meal,” JARVIS interjected, revealing Tony’s lie.  


There was a mutter of something that sounded suspiciously like ‘traitor’ from the other side of the door before Tony responded again,  


“I’m fine, big guy. I’ll eat later when I finish.”  


“Tony…” Bruce trailed off, frustrated, “Either let me in now or I’ll let the Other Guy knock next”  


After a significant pause, the door to the workshop slid open.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of a jump about halfway through in the timeline. Also, sorry it took so long, I've been super busy with university. But I've written a bit of a plot twist into the next chapter, so hopefully that will motivate me to write it sooner :)

The biologist stepped into the lab warily, bracing for anything from tears to anger – only on a Tony scale. What he was not expecting was Tony to be hunched over a worktable and working on the Iron Man suit feverishly. When his arrival provoked no response from his billionaire companion, Bruce assumed the ball was in his court – a situation that set his Beta personality on edge and made the Other Guy rumble in contentment. 

“Okay…” Bruce trailed off, hoping to get a response from his fellow scientist, but with no luck, “Alright then, JARVIS -- which of these worktables is least likely to blow up if I move the stuff on it so we can eat?”  


“The table to your immediate left, Dr. Banner, contains only fabric remnants – none of which will be hazardous to your health,” the AI offered dryly, provoking a laugh from Bruce. 

“Did Tony program you with a sense of humor, JARVIS? Or am I imagining things?” 

Before JARVIS could respond to Bruce’s question, Tony broke into their conversation, 

“I wrote him to be self-improving and I think he took the liberty of giving himself the sarcastic wit you’re enjoying so much, big guy.” 

Bruce offered a hesitant grin to the inventor when he saw the other man watching him place the take-out containers on the worktable. Tony sighed heavily, but grinned back – even if it was tinted with exasperation. Motioning to his companion, Bruce pulled up a stool to the make-shift table and grabbed a random takeout container to pass to Tony. However, when he turned to hand Tony the food, the billionaire had returned to his original fiddling with the Iron Man suit. Sighing forlornly, Bruce drug his stool over to the other man’s table and began eating. If his assumption based on limited exposure to Tony was correct, the man was food motivated and would eventually cave to the delish aromas of the takeout. 

Not that Bruce timed him, but five minutes later, Tony let his welding torch drop to the tabletop and reached for the nearest food container. Bruce tried not to smile too smugly. 

...

“Well Bruce, this was delicious and I’m delegating you chief of food ordering from hence forth. Now, I’ve got a hot date with that gorgeous piece of machinery over there, so I’ll just get to it,” Tony grinned, voice full of a fake cheerfulness. 

“Tony,” Bruce sighed, checking his watch, “It’s at least three in the morning!” 

“I’ll be fine! That’s why the gods invented coffee! Or, well maybe not Thor, but someone way back when got something right!” Tony rambled walking towards his previous worktable, “I mean, I’ve done - what was it JARVIS?—about thirty-six hours straight before!” 

“It was thirty-four hours and forty minutes, sir” JARVIS drawled, sounding distinctly unimpressed. 

“See Bruce! I’ll be fine; put in a couple of hours on the suit, join you for breakfast, and just nap later in the day!” Tony waved vaguely towards the Iron Man suit and then grinned widely at Bruce.  


Despite getting quite the workout the last few days, Bruce felt the Hulk grumble at Tony’s statement. Taking a deep breath, Bruce channeled enough of the Hulk’s “Alpha-ness” to override his own Beta nature.  


“Tony, we need to sleep. It’s been a long couple of days; and if I’m feeling it – and I didn’t even do most of the fighting – you definitely are. Come on. Let’s go,” Bruce demanded, the Alpha command clear in his voice.  


Tony froze where he was hunched over the worktable and Bruce internally cursed, thinking he had misjudged the situation. Then, after a few tense moments, the tension across Tony’s shoulders drained and he slumped slightly.  


“Okay, big guy, just let me put this away,” Tony sighed, reaching for the Iron Man suit.  


“Sir, I will instruct Dummy on putting the suit away if you would like to accompany Dr. Banner.”  


“Yeah, let’s do that JARVIS,” Tony shrugged, “But I swear Dummy, one scratch and I will give you to those idiots down in R&D.”  


Bruce reached out and placed a comforting hand on Tony’s shoulder to guide him towards the elevator bay,  


“I thought R&D was ‘candy land’?”  


Tony’s tired laughter echoed around them as the pair left the lab.  


...

It had been almost two months since Tony had invited Bruce to live with him when Tony broke the pattern the pair of scientists had fallen into. Usually, Bruce would stumble into the kitchen to find Tony and a full pot of coffee waiting for him. Then the pair would go down to their joint lab and work on whatever various project had struck their fancy that day. After dragging Tony from his calculations, Bruce would make some sort of light lunch in the kitchen while Tony would watch from a barstool across the counter. Tony usually bolted his food and would scramble down to his garage to put on the Iron Man suit. Bruce would usually meander outside to the balcony after cleaning the kitchen to find Tony flitting about the Tower and repairing damage caused by Loki. Bruce would then take a seat on a lounge chair with a Stark Industries tablet and monitored Tony’s work. 

Today, however, there was no obnoxiously awake billionaire in the kitchen. Immediately, the Other Guy rumbled uneasily at Tony’s absence. Cautiously, Bruce searched through the kitchen and dining room area for the engineer – well aware that the last time a situation such as this occurred Tony had spent the entirety of the night in his lab working on the Iron Man suit. Finding no brunet in the common area, Bruce sighed, 

“JARVIS? Tony didn’t spend the night in the lab again, did he?” 

Although the AI had been intensely protective of his creator initially, JARVIS had quickly realized Bruce’s concern for Tony’s well-being was legitimate and the two had formed an alliance against Tony’s self-destructive habits. The computer worked in tandem with the biologist to ensure Tony ate and slept at regular hours. Tony had complained loudly the moment he realized the two were working against him, spouting accusations of “Traitor” and “Mutiny” around the Italian food Bruce was “forcing upon him”. 

“No, Dr. Banner. Mater Tony is currently still in his rooms asleep; shall I wake him for you?” 

“Oh. No, that won’t be necessary JARVIS. I was just worried for a moment.” 

“An understandable reaction, Dr. Banner, would you like me to inform you when he awakens?” 

“Sure, now how do I work this again?” Bruce laughed, pressing buttons at random on the fancy contraption Tony called his coffee maker. 

He could almost swear the AI was laughing with him as he carefully guided Bruce through the steps of making coffee… again. 

...

“Dr. Banner, I do not wish to interrupt, but Master Tony has awoken and is making his way towards your-“ JARVIS’ warning was cut off midway by the man in question’s arrival. 

“Good morning Bruce! What are we working on today?” Tony smiled, clapping the biologist on the shoulder as he walked past. 

“It’s well past noon Tony,” Bruce sighed readjusting himself to peer into his microscope again, “have you eaten yet?” 

“I grabbed a cup of coffee on my way down,” Tony said, waving his favorite ACDC mug in Bruce’s general direction, “and I must say, you’ve been holding out on my Brucey. If I had known you made coffee this delicious, I would’ve demanded you make it every morning!” 

Bruce began to laugh at Tony’s antics until the implications of Tony’s words caught up with him, 

“Tony! You can’t just drink a cup of coffee and call it a meal! That’s incredibly unhealthy! We’ve been over this!” 

Grabbing the protesting man by the upper arm, Bruce dragged Tony to the elevator banks, asking JARVIS to save his work as he went. 

“Honestly Tony,” Bruce sighed, “We’ve been over this how many times now? You need to eat at regular intervals so you don’t get sick. Luckily for you I was about ready for lunch mys-“ 

“I hate to interrupt Dr. Banner, “JARVIS broke in, “but Director Fury is on the line.” 

“Pull up the call on the screen in the dining room when we get there JARVIS,” Tony sighed wearily. 

It was not until the pair were seated in the dining room that large screen popped up on the blank wall across from them, showing them Nick Fury’s scowling countenance. 

“Stark. Dr. Banner.” Fury greeted with a nod. 

While Bruce nodded back politely, Tony pointed accusingly at the feed, 

“How come he gets to be ‘Dr. Banner’ and I’m only ‘Stark’? I have a PhD too you know! Several!” 

“Because Dr. Banner actually acts like a doctorate and not like an overgrown four year old” Fury snapped, “Now if you’re done, I need both of you to come in.” 

“Is there something wrong, Director?” Bruce asked, feeling Tony tense and ready to spring for the suit at a moment’s notice. 

“No,” Fury scowled, “I just need all of you here to discuss the continuation of The Avengers Initiative and we’ve finally been able to contact Thor – who should be arriving in the next hour or so. You two will be here before he arrives, understood?” 

“What’s the magic word, Nick?” Tony asked sweetly making Bruce roll his eyes. 

The connection was cut with no response. It was Tony, who broke the still tense silence between the two, 

“Well, that was rude. But how about you make some sandwiches to go and I’ll go grab the suit briefcase. Meet you in the garage in ten?” 

Bruce just nodded and headed to the kitchen while Tony sauntered towards the elevator bay. 

...

Bruce had been perched on the hood of an Audi R8 for over twenty minutes when Tony finally stepped out of the elevators. Bruce just raised an eyebrow at his companion and waved the billionaire's sandwich in a beckoning manner. Bruce had long since eaten his own sandwich and grabbed the keys to the cars he was perched on before the billionaire had appeared. 

“Come on, Bruce grinned, sliding off the hood, “I’ll drive so you can eat” 

“Sure you can handle the horsepower?” Tony laughed, running a loving hand along the silver hood. 

“I’ll be fine; did you know America is one of the only places that has automatic cars? I had to learn to drive stick when I was in India for a while. They put me in this temperamental Volkswagen with a turbo. If I didn’t Hulk out then, I should be fine now.” 

Tony laughed and ducked into the car, carefully positioning the Iron Man suit briefcase at his feet. He then reached over to take the sandwich Bruce was offering from the driver’s seat. Before the other scientist could pull his hand back though, Tony place a small, plain white box in it and then set to eating his sandwich. Bruce simply raised an eyebrow and snorted at Tony’s attempt to pantomime a ‘go on, open it’ with a mouth and hands full on sandwich. Inside, wrapped in plain white tissue, where a pair of slinky black shorts made of an unidentifiable material. 

“Uh, Tony, what are these?” Bruce asked, bewildered, as he held up the shorts. 

“As much as I love you and the big guy, there’s only so much of you I want to see. Same goes for the Other Guy. If I’m right – which I should be – these should expand with you when you Hulk out. I figured I’d try to preserve the Other Guy’s dignity while he’s out there helping us save the world.” 

“Thank you,” Bruce laughed, closing the box and setting it on the small center console. 

“Now, let’s go see what mess Fury needs us to clean up for him this time!” Tony grinned making a ridiculous onward pose with his sandwich as Bruce started the vehicle. 

The pairs’ laughter followed them out of the garage and into the open air of the New York City streets.


	4. Chapter 4

Both billionaire and biologist were laughing when they pulled up to the heavily guarded gate that led to the port the Helicarrier was docked in. The gate guard simply shook his head and waved the duo through as the large, reinforced concrete gate slide out of the way. Their laughter died in their throats when they saw the swarm of crews working to repair the damage done during Loki’s attack. Bruce’s grip on the steering wheel had tightened unconsciously and was soon white knuckled. It was not until Tony reached over with a hesitant smile and forced one hand to uncurl that Bruce realized how tightly he was clinging to the leather. Smiling tightly back at is fellow scientist, Bruce maneuvered the car through the crowded dock to the parking area just to the left of the work crews attempting to repair the Helicarrier. 

Bruce was halfway out of the car when the Other Guy shifted in the back of his mind. It took Bruce a moment of concentrating with his eyes closed to place the Other Guy’s feelings, but his eyes snapped open the second he placed them. The Other Guy was leaking guilt and embarrassment and Bruce swung around, searching for the cause of the unusual emotions. Not twenty feet from them – and impatiently waiting for Tony and himself it appeared – was Agent Natasha Romanov. Bruce’s mind reeled slightly at the implications: the Other Guy felt guilty about almost killing Natasha. Unsure of what to do with this information, Bruce merely shook his head and filed it away to examine later. 

“Dr. Banner, Mr. Stark” Natasha deadpanned as they approached, “if you’d like to follow me, Thor will be arriving shortly.” 

With that, the assassin turned sharply on a heel and led the way up the short gangway to the entrance of the Helicarrier. The elevator ride from the lower level they had entered on to the control room/meeting room was quite entertaining for Bruce. Tony attempted to very nonchalantly position Bruce between himself and Natasha, much to the Other Guy’s and Bruce’s amusement. Tony then spent the remainder of the short ride looking anywhere but Natasha, who stood staring unerringly at the closed elevator door in front of her. With perfect timing, the three team mates stepped from the elevator in time to see Thor appear in a blindingly bright column of light and magic. Thor stood momentarily reorienting himself, but when his eyes landed upon his team mates, they lit up in excitement, 

“My friends! How it pleases me to see you! I was most happy to answer Director Fury’s call to arms as it allows us to be reunited!” 

With that, Thor scooped up Steve in what would have been a bone-cracking hug on anyone other than the super solider. Setting the blond down, Thor reached to do the same to Clint, but was stopped by Fury’s pointed throat clearing. The demi-god guiltily dropped his arms away from the retreating archer and sat down at the large table. 

“I apologize for my merriment, Director. Now is not the time for folly and frivolous actions,” Thor said solemnly. 

“Oh my god,” Tony cried, “You are the worst! Honestly Nick! You can’t just let him greet his team mates that he hasn’t seen in two months, can you? You have to go all ‘I am Nick Fury. I must be an asshole and generally ruin everyone’s fun’. And I don’t see what’s wrong with a little celebration? We’re world-saving heroes for Christ sake! It’s not like you gave us as much as a thank you!” 

The control room had fallen silent during Tony’s rant and Bruce was eyeing him with unveiled concern. Fury merely rolled his eye and motioned to the table in front of him sharply. They all shuffled quietly into the remaining seats around the triangular table; Fury stood at the point with Thor to his left. Steve slid in next to him, followed by Clint. Natasha sat directly across from Clint and Tony plopped in the chair next to her and attempted to place his feet in her lap. Bruce slid into the seat on Fury’s immediate right with a laugh as the assassin shoved Tony’s feet off her lap and glared menacingly, causing Tony to raise his hands in gesture of surrender. 

“Now that I have your undivided attention, I would like to inform you of some details left out of the post- Chitauri debriefing. Due to Thor’s immediate departure with Loki to Asgaurd, it was decided to postpone this meeting until he could return,” Fury paused to nod at Maria Hill, who quickly strode out of the room, “I was also overruled in the decision to involve you in this situation during its earlier stages – when the outcome was much less certain.” 

Fury then motioned towards the end of the table, where Hill stood holding the handles of a wheelchair containing a very much alive Phil Coulson. 

With what could only be described as a snarl, Steve jumped up and grabbed Fury by his lapels, then slammed the Director into the nearest control panel. Bruce’s waning control over the Other Guy snapped at Steve’s very threatening and Alpha actions and promptly Hulked out. Natasha and Tony immediately vacated their seats and scrambled to the other side of the table to move out of the Hulk’s way. Thor nobly stood in front of Coulson and flipped Mjölnir in his grasp in a vaguely threatening manner. The whole control room fell into an uneasy silence of pointed guns and minimal movement; even Steve had stopped snarling at Fury and was carefully watching the Hulk. 

“Hey big guy!” Clint shrugged at the incredulous look Natasha sent him as he carefully edged around the table, “I don’t suppose Banner’s let you out since the Chitauri, huh? That would be just like him.” 

The Hulk rumbled in agreement and plopped down on the floor, shaking the whole control room. Clint carefully reached out and patted a muscled green thigh, but raised both hands in a nonthreatening gesture when the Hulk narrowed his eyes at the archer. 

“I know you’re probably upset about Steve being all Alpha-y over there, but how about you let Banner come back so we can finish out meeting? I’ll see if I can get you some smashing time later?” Clint grinned. 

The Hulk made a face reminiscent of a pout and shook his head forcefully. Clint sighed and pillowed his head in his arms on the Hulks thigh, 

“But if you don’t let Banner come back we’ll be here forever. You don’t want to sit on the Helicarrier floor forever, do you big guy? Just think, you can go back to the Tower with Stark and sit on his nice floors later; but only if you let Bruce come back.” 

The Hulk tilted his head to look down at the archer then over at Tony, then back to Clint. Finally, the large green head nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah!” Clint whooped and then jumped up onto the massive green thigh to hug the Hulk around the shoulders. 

After a brief moment of confusion, the Hulk carefully placed a large hand across Clint’s back and then smiled up at the other Avengers. Shortly after that, Dr. Banner found himself with a lap full of highly trained sniper and blinked in confusion up at the man. Clint only shook his head and offered a hand to help the scientist up. It was not until it was clear that the Other Guy was not going to make a return that the focus of the room shifted back to Captain America and the Director. 

Steve had Fury pinned up against the control panel and was putting pressure on the man’s sternum – not enough to break, but enough to make the Director severely uncomfortable. 

“Anything else you’re keeping from us Fury? Any other information we should have known months ago that you’d like to share now?” Steve snarled at the increasingly unnerved man, “If this is the way the rest of this operation is going to go, you can count me out. I won’t put up with your secrets and lies.” 

The whole room fell into a shocked silence at Steve’s very obvious Alpha challenge. Fury looked the super soldier dead in the eye for only a moment. His eye widened in almost a cartoonish manner and then very slowly, the Director tilted his head back in submission. Steve simply stepped back, rolled his shoulders and strode over to the still seated Coulson. 

“Glad to have you back, Phil,” Steve smiled and shook the other man’s offered hand. 

“Glad to be back, Captain.” 

Tony shook his head and sighed, 

“That’s it. We’re done here, don’t you think Nick? If that’s all, I’ll be taking the team back to the Tower. Alright, everyone this way, I’ll get Happy to meet us at the dock.” 

With that, Tony bumped a surprised Hill out of the way and began pushing Coulson towards the elevator. Fury raised an eyebrow like he was going to object, but Phil just shook his head motioned for Natasha and Clint to follow the billionaire. In almost complete silence, the Avengers team left the control room without looking back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm not particularly happy with the middle of this chapter, but it had some plot-stuff that I needed to put in. I'd appreciate any criticism or opinions! Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So spring semester is an evil thing here at my university and the wifi was "broken" (aka IT unplugged something they shouldn't have), but still this chapter took far too long to post and I'm so so so sorry! I'll make it up to you all somehow! 
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely feedback and if you see any mistakes feel free to let me know so I can correct them!

While waiting on the docks for Happy to arrive with a limousine large enough for the majority of the Avengers crew, Thor sadly informed his team mates on the fate of their enemy and his brother. 

“Father has stripped him of his magic until he sees the error of his ways, but he continues to act petulant and childish and does not help himself. I fear he is too much changed to be the brother I wish you all could have met, rather than the monster that brought war to your world.”

Steve placed a comforting hand on the demi-god’s shoulder and smiled reassuringly,

“I’m sure he’ll be back to the brother you remember eventually. It just takes time to get used to things.”

Tony shot a questioning glance sideways at the super soldier from where he was leaning on the back of Coulson’s wheelchair, but Steve merely waved his free hand in dismissal. Before Tony could press the obvious issue any further, a black limousine with Stark Industries plates pulled up in front of him. Seconds after the vehicle stopped a crying Pepper Potts scrambled out of the back door in her impeccable business suit and high heels to throw her arms around Coulson seated form. Tony casually stepped back and shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks and smiled tensely at Happy over the top of the vehicle.

“Pepper,” Natasha stepped forward and carefully pulled the still weeping woman from her handler, “how about we head back to the Tower and get Phil settled in? Then you two can reminisce over your impossible to work with bosses.”

Pepper smiled tearfully at the other woman and motioned Happy over to transfer Phil and his wheelchair into the limousine. After the man was loaded she carefully slipped in after him, followed by Natasha and Thor. Clint carefully guided Bruce from where he had fallen asleep propped up against a post due to his post-Hulk crash into the vehicle, waving away Happy’s offer of assistance. Steve shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, glancing between Tony and the still open door of the limousine. The man in question was staring off to the side at nothing in particular with his hands still clenched in his pockets. Steve carefully cleared his throat to get the billionaire’s attention and tried not to grin when the man jumped a little as he was broken from his thoughts.

“You want some company on the ride to the Tower?” Steve offered, trying not to appear too hopeful as he eyed the expensive car.

“Course Cap!” Tony grinned, even though it was obviously fake, “If you’re good I might even let you drive her for a bit”

Steve laughed uncomfortably along with Tony’s fake laugh and carefully closed the door to the limousine before going to squish himself into Audi.

... 

Steve had managed to ignore the uncomfortable silence in the vehicle until they were stuck in a traffic jam in the Holland Tunnel. Tony was impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in an indiscernible pattern and it was becoming increasingly more annoying to Steve.

“So…” Steve ventured, “I’m not completely up to date on his file, but I’m pretty sure Phil was undergoing medical treatment that he probably needs to finish.”

Tony simply snapped his fingers and nodded at Steve before pressing a button on the display screen. Shortly after, a crisp British voice came through the system,

“What may I assist you with Sir?”

“Well, Fury pulled one of his my secrets have secrets things and I’m bring the team back to the Tower to get them out of his clutches. Oh! And the bastard had Coulson stashed away somewhere in medical – very much alive by the way – and had him make a surprise appearance at the meeting today. So Bruce Hulked out, Clint talked him back to our favorite mild-mannered biologist, and Steve went all Alpha on Fury and got him to submit. Which was awesome by the way, Cap! Then we all stormed out and possibly took Coulson with us. So, I need you to hack S.H.E.I.L.D. medical and get Coulson’s treatment plan. And set up one of the guest rooms so it’s ready for whatever medical equipment Phil’s going to need. And tell medical I want them to either devote their best people to this or find me the best people and get them to the Tower ASAP. Got it JARVIS?”

“Yes Sir. Will there be anything else?”

“Let me think… Yeah, go ahead while you’re in the mainframe and get the video of Fury and Steve, I need some new blackmail material on that son of a bitch anyway. And go ahead and unlock the team’s rooms. And Pepper’s. Might as well get them in the security system now and let them set their stuff up.”

“Rooms? Stuff?” Steve asked bewildered.

“You’ll see when we get their Captain!” Tony laughed gleefully, “It’s a surprise. Well, I mean Bruce knows about it, but he’s taking his post-Hulk nap right about now and can’t ruin it.”

Steve just smiled and shook his head at the other man’s obvious excitement. Tony smiled at him for another moment before looking back at the road to inch the vehicle forward another few feet I the heavy traffic.

“Sir, I have collected Agent Coulson’s medical file and treatment plan as requested. I have also contacted medical with the information and they are requesting access to the living quarters to deliver the required equipment. They also wish to inform you that there are several professionals they would suggest consulting and bringing in for the duration of Agent Coulson’s treatment. I also attempted to find the footage you requested but it appears to have already been deleted from their system.”

“Fine,” Tony sighed, sounding like a put out child, “I’ll see you at home then, honey.”

“Of course, Sir.”

Steve was fairly certain his expression was one of complete confusion when Tony glanced at him, if the way the billionaire started openly laughing was anything to go by.

“Were you just making a phone call from a car in the Holland Tunnel?” Steve asked incredulously.

“Yep! I installed some upgrades in this baby right after I got her. Just some run of the mill Stark Industries Tech, but it makes all the difference. Plus I put JARVIS into her electronic systems, that way I’m in contact at all times – even when driving through the Holland Tunnel,” Tony shrugged before easing the car forward a few more feet.

“So what or who exactly is this JARVIS?”

“JARVIS is my artificial intelligence that runs the Tower, my house in Malibu, helps with the suit, etc.; you name it, he can probably do it,” Tony explained, not taking his eyes off the now moving traffic, “He also runs security. He keeps a record of everyone that’s ever entered a place he has access to. He also manages all my files and access to my labs, workshops, and rooms. He’ll be doing the same for – Nope! Not telling you until we get there!”

Steve laughed at the other man’s determination to keep his surprise a secret and went back to watching the city slip past the window. Neither man felt the need to break the now comfortable silence between them.

...

By the time the engineer and super soldier reached the underground parking area of Stark Tower and had exited the expensive sports car, the rest of the team and Happy were already in the process of transferring Phil from the limousine into his wheelchair – much to the S.H.E.I.L.D. agent’s chagrin.

“Barton!” Phil snapped at the younger man, “Put me down! I am not an invalid! I have the ability to walk and I can get myself out of a car just fine on my own!”

Clint merely shook his head and placed the man in his wheelchair, before slinking over to take the drowsy Bruce weight and supporting from where the scientist’s head was perilously close to falling onto the female assassin’s shoulder. Bruce simply smiled tiredly into Clint’s S.H.E.I.L.D issue shirt and went back to dosing – earning Clint a raised eyebrow from both Natasha and Phil. The archer shrugged and simply leaned back against the vehicle behind him to support the additional weight.

Before Tony could open his mouth, Pepper strode into the room from the workshop’s attached bathroom – make up redone and all signs of tears gone – and took over the situation,

“Welcome to Stark Tower, for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Pepper Potts – Tony’s CEO. We’ve worked very hard the last few months to restore the top floors of the Tower in the hopes that the Avengers team would accept Stark Industries, Tony’s, and my own invitation to live here or at least use it as a base of sorts. Now if you’d like to follow me, I’ll give you a tour of the private upper floors that will be available to you.”

With that, Pepper grasped the handles of Phil’s wheelchair and started towards the elevator bay. Natasha raised a well-groomed eyebrow at Tony and patted the billionaire on the arm as she passed. Clint floundered for a moment attempting to shuffle the still napping Bruce towards the elevators before Thor scooped the scientist up in a bridle-style carry and followed the archer towards the elevators. Tony nodded at Happy as the man went to park the limousine and started towards the elevators, but Steve’s hand on his shoulder turned him back towards the blond.

“Was this your surprise, Tony?” Steve smiled softly.

“Well I – its sorta – I mean there’s more to it, but yeah, this is it,” Tony grinned almost sheepishly.

“This is – and this doesn’t even begin to cover it – this is amazing, Tony,” Steve’s small smile morphed into a beaming grin.

Their conversation was cut short by Thor entering the room, still carrying Bruce as if he weighed nothing,

“Anthony, Captain, a small box has arrived! Ms. Potts says you must hurry so not to miss it!”

Both Tony and Steve grinned at the Asgardian’s words and made towards the elevator.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short-ish chapter while I work on what will be chapter seven and is pretty substantial to the plot. I kinda love comments or questions, so don't be shy!

With Pepper and Phil in the lead, the tour through the different living spaces and suites passed quickly after Thor deposited the still sleeping Bruce on a sofa in the living room. After finishing on the uppermost level where Thor’s suite was, the team dispersed back to their various rooms eager to start planning. Pepper had made it very clear that they were allowed to remodel anything and everything they wanted to in their suites and that Stark Industries would cover the cost.

Having nothing to do, Tony wandered back down to where Bruce lay still sleeping on the sofa and repositioned his fellow scientist so that there was room on the end most cushion to sit down. Dropping heavily into the new space, Tony leaned his head back against the back of the sofa and stared blankly at the ceiling. His eyelids were starting to close when JARVIS decided to interrupt the silence,

“Sir, may I point out some variables that have not been addressed?”

“Yeah sure, JARVIS,” Tony sighed, straightening up, “what experiment did we miss some variables on? I think we have most of the on-going experiments pretty locked down…”

“I was referring to the current situation, Sir.”

“Situation? What situation?”

“The newly modified living arrangements, Sir. And that it brings in the variable of not one, but five Alphas – three of which have no mate and one of which you have previous relations with, Sir. I fail to see how this situation can have any outcome that is remotely beneficial.”

“Oh, we’ll just do what we did when I was having ‘relations’ with Pepper: suppressants and hiding in the lab under the pretense of inventing.”

“Of course, Sir.”

Almost as soon as JARVIS finished his disapproving sounding sentence, Bruce stirred on the other end of the sofa and slowly levered himself up into a seated position. Bruce blinked sleepily a few times before his eyes came into focus on the Tower living room and finally his brain caught up. With a groan, Bruce dropped his face into his hands,

“I hulked-out in the meeting, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did big guy, but in your defense, that was some pretty crazy shit Fury pulled on us. And Clint talked the Other Guy down almost immediately, so no injuries or damage – well, aside from your chair,” Tony grinned, placing a hand on Bruce’s bare shoulder.

Bruce shook his head and gave the billionaire a small smile in return before gathering the blanket around his lower body and making his way towards the elevator bay.

“Oh, Tony?” Bruce looked back once he had reached the doorway, “Why are we hiding in the lab?”

Tony visibly tensed, but then forced himself back into a relaxed state before answering with a fake laugh,

“Well the rest of the team is bound to get tired of our science mumbo-jumbo at some point now that they’ve moved in.”

“Whatever you say, Tony,” Bruce sighed, accepting that the inventor was not ready to share yet.

...

After their belongings were relocated, the team as a whole fell into a tentative routine after the last box was unpacked. Steve, being a naturally early riser before the serum reduced his need for sleep, would be the first up and would prepare one of the limited breakfast meals he was capable off. About the time he is halfway through cooking, Tony – and sometimes Bruce – would stumble out of the elevators from late nights in the labs. Despite his adamant protests during the first few days, Steve forces Tony to eat at least a piece of toast and usually manages to keep the man away from the brewing coffee, before sending him to his suite to sleep. The second day Steve had made breakfast, he had allowed Tony a cup of coffee while his toast cooked and then could not get the billionaire to sleep until he had essentially passed out from exhaustion the next morning in the elevator on the way up to the kitchen from the labs.  


Shortly after Tony stumbles his way down the hallway, Natasha and Clint will appear – usually having just come from the gym or shooting range. The pair would take up residence across the bar from Steve and watch the super soldier cook until the coffee is consumable, then Clint visibly perks up and usually jokes about “Roger’s sub-par cooking”. Natasha will roll her eyes behind her mate’s head at Steve and sometimes even cuffs him before returning to her own coffee. It still amuses Steve to watch the two Alphas interact and the dynamics of their bond – a thing that was unheard of in his time.

Bruce – if he did not appear with Tony – would be the next to stumble in and prop himself up by the coffee maker and stare at it sleepily until one of his present teammates deigns to help the sleep-addled scientist with his morning caffeine. Halfway through the first week of living together, Bruce had stayed by the coffee pot for over twenty minutes before Steve seemed to realize the scientist needed assistance. Despite his teasing, Clint is usually the one to help Bruce make his coffee and then over to a stool at the bar.

Thor is usually the last to emerge, following Pepper, who usually arrives pushing the still wheelchair bound Agent Coulson. Phil had somehow convinced the medical staff to allow him to wear his usual attire of suits, so the pair always make an entrance in the mornings: Phil in his crisp black suit, white shirt, and equally black tie and Pepper in a business suit and high heel combination that easily costs more than what Steve’s neighborhood block in Brooklyn did when he was a kid. Once Thor appears, Steve will serve the meal onto plates and swiftly step away from the minor frenzy that occurs at the cooktop as his teammates scramble for their respective plate.

It is not until Bruce has already been situated on a stool at the end of the second week that it registers with Steve that something is missing. Steve turns off the gas burner and moves his skillet of half-scrambled eggs off to the side before stepping back to take in his surroundings, trying to figure out what is not right. Although Bruce is still to uncaffeinated to notice, both Natasha and Clint raise an eyebrow at the Captain’s actions. Pepper’s clicking heels signal the arrival of her and Phil and when Steve sees the “Stark Industries” file folder tucked under Pepper’s arm, it occurs to him: Tony.

“JARVIS,” Steve calls, sliding past the pair in the kitchen doorway and striding quickly to the elevator, “where is Tony? Is he still in the lab this morning?”

“He is in his workshop, Captain Rogers, but he does not wish to be disturbed at this time.”

“Did he sleep last night? Or eat for that matter?”

“No, but he has a supply of nutritious shakes and granola bars that should suffice him until he has finished the designs he is working on.”

“He needs to rest and eat though!” Steve sighs, leaning against the back of the elevator as it descends, “We need him coherent in case the Avengers are needed.”

“I understand, Captain, I will inform him,” JARVIS sighs before the elevator lapses into silence.

As the elevator doors slide open on the level of Tony’s workshop, Steve is met with a closed door and blacked out windows. Hesitantly reaching up, Steve knocks twice on the door,

“Tony? You alright in there?”

There is a muffled shuffling sound from the opposite side of the door before Tony replies,

“Steve! I’m good! I just – ahh – I got these ideas and I had to – ahh – I uh, I have to finish them before I forget. They’re gonna be awesome, Cap! You’ll love the – ah – thingy I’m gonna make you. And don’t – oh! – tell Bruce, but I think I figured out how to make Hulk-proof pants and it’s all gonna be awesome; you’ll see later! Oh!”

Steve sighs in relief and shakes his head before he remembers Tony cannot see him,

“Well, I’ll leave you to it? But if you’re not out in three days I’m sending the Hulk through the wall.”

“Thanks, Cap! I kinda left this thing that I probably shouldn’t have so I’ll go do that and you go do things, other things… Captain America things. Things that take you upstairs, okay? Okay. Talk to you later, Steve!”

The super soldier stares at the door in bewilderment, but eventually makes his way back to the elevator bay to return to the rest of the team, fighting the serum magnified Alpha instinct for every step.

...

Tony slumps back against the cool metal of the door as he watches Steve walk away from the workshop door on his tablet. Tony sighs when the elevator doors close and cut off his view of the Alpha and lets himself slide down the door to curl up on the workshop floor.  


“JARVIS?”

“Sir?”

“Is everything in place? And make sure the air ducts are closed off from the rest of the building. I don’t want – ah – anyone coming down here for the next few days.”

“Of course, sir.”

Leaving the details to his AI, Tony drags himself to an upright position and through pure luck manages to stumble across the workshop to the sink he was aiming for. Turning the water as cold as it could go, the engineer grabbed a rag and began wiping his burning body down – the cool water offering minute relief from the internal furnace that he experienced during his heats. Glancing quickly in the mirror, Tony cannot help but let out a self-depreciating laugh,

“Guess this isnt exactly what you had in mind when you said I’d take over the company, old man. You thought I was an alpha just like you. But I can’t even do this right, huh? If you’d stuck around a bit longer, you would have known I was an omega. Good thing for me you didn’t.”  


With that, Tony picks up the sleeping pill from the counter and make his way over to the slipcovered sofa before swallowing it dry. Dropping gracelessly onto his bed for the next few days, he hopes the new suppressant will allow him to sleep through the majority of his heat.


End file.
